Taller
by ReNeVIerE07
Summary: She has always been taller than him...
1. Chapter 1

I wasn't really tall. In fact, everyone seemed to tower me, a reason as to why the boys in the village would like to pick fights with me. But that never bothered me. What bothers me is that, even she, even Tifa is taller than me. How can I protect her if she's taller than me? Aren't boys supposed to be taller than girls?

It's another day of picking fights with the boys, and another day of being rescued by Tifa.

"Get off him! You should know better than to pick on someone smaller than you!" I hear her shout at the boys "you should pick on someone your own size! Now go before I tell you moms what you've been doing to Cloud!"

It was always the same. Once Tifa's made her point, the boys would retreat, but not until making remarks that they try to make sure I hear.

"He's pathetic, being saved by a girl"

"What a baby"

Then when Tifa gives them the second warning glare, they dash off. I hear the pound of their feet on the ground as they dash off. My shoulders were still hiding my face; I wait a little till I feel Tifa's soft hands pat away dirt from my hair, shirt and arms. I like the way her hands feel. They're really soft. And the way she would always mutter comforting words, she always makes being picked on a little bit worth it, as long as I get her to take care of me.

When she pulls my arm away from my face, I was welcomed with her small smile. I smile back, shyly though. She pulls me up to my feet, and I comply. When we managed to stand, I can see the difference in our height. Maybe an inch or two. The only thing making me equal to her is my hair. But, they don't measure how high your hair is with your height. If they did, we'd be equal in height. Sadly, the nurse in the clinic said that be cheating if they added my hair.

After Tifa finishes the last of the dirt on the shirt, she put her hands on her hips.

"Cloud! You need to stand up for yourself! You need to grow up a little more! Haven't you been drinking your milky?" there it goes, the usual scolding Tifa gives me. It's not really that bad, but I guess she's just worried about me. Mom did say people scold you because they love you. So Tifa loves me right?

"I drink milky everyday" I reasoned.

"Well you're not drinking enough! Look! I'm taller than you even if you're older than me!" this got me bowing my head. It's not my fault that I'm short. I drink milky every day. Sometimes I even finish three bottles and end up in the little boy's room for a really long time.

Even though Tifa was scolding me, she lets out a small giggle. I look up, wondering if she also thinks I'm pathetic. If she did, I might have that hurt feeling on my chest, just like the times I see her playing with those bully boys.

"But you know what? I like it when you're small" she smiled.

"Why?" I asked, a bit curious and happy. She likes me even if I'm small! Tifa likes me!

"Because I can do this!" in a spur of the moment she kisses my forehead. I can feel Tifa's lips being warm on my forehead, but I never knew even my cheeks would get warm.

She looks at me amused and then giggles "You look real funny Cloud. You're like a tomato!" she laughs.

For some reason, I end up laughing with her. Maybe one day when I grew up real big, I can kiss her forehead too. I can't wait.

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I now understand the concept of being busy in college...so for a little treat, a three part one shot that will be completed on the same day. thank you to patient people and avid fans of my work :)


	2. Chapter 2

It's been a couple of years. The little boy who got picked on was now a soldier finding who he is and is in a quest of saving the world. The little girl who would save the little boy is now a beautiful lady who can beat anyone that goes her way. That's what we are now, and yet nothings change.

The bullies are long gone. They were in the fire that burned every memory of my childhood. I would have been happy about it if my mother and Tifa weren't included in the fire. It's been a long time, and although my mom is long gone, I'm glad Tifa managed to survive. Even if were old now, I still find her saving me, as pathetic it may seem.

I lost myself and she helped me find it again. I guess I'm just glad even till now she's still here for me.

We're camping outside, still in our journey to stopping Sephiroth. I sometimes regret even finding him as an idol if I had known what kind of horror he would bring into my life.

I watch the flames, reminiscing the memories of a village burned and slain by a man he once wanted to become. While I was too occupied to comprehend with anything around me, I somehow manage to snap out of it and find Tifa holding my hand.

I look up at her and she has that small smile she used to give me after she saved me from the bullies. I look at the once burning flame, already put out. The rest were already in their own sleeping bags and the two of us were left in the dark and cold.

"You remember?" she asked. She didn't need to be specific, I understood what she meant. I nod.

She stayed standing while I stayed sitting on a rock. We never really said anything, the silence was comforting anyway. But maybe, Tifa just felt a little chatty and began to break the silence.

"Did you remember us?" she smiled hopeful. I look up, not actually understanding what she meant.

I catch her eye, shifting to the far end where Aerith was then quickly going down to her feet. Her teeth biting her lower lip, indicating that something troubled her. But she manages to look back up and smile.

"Us, you know…when we were kids?"

"You'd save me a lot those times….then scold me for being short…" I told her, remembering well those small little memories, no matter how painful, was precious to me, because Tifa was there.

Her eyes suddenly lit up. With a tug, she manages to make me stand up. Her small smile then turned smug when I stood straight.

"What?" I asked her. She just grinned.

"You still haven't changed…" she nearly laughed. I didn't understand what she referred to until she pointed out the obvious.

"I'm still taller than you" she muffled her laughter with her hand. I frowned and tried to check if she was still taller. I was pretty sure I've grown. But Gaia can't be cruel enough to make me still shorter than Tifa, right?

Unfortunately though, she was right, the only thing that's gotten taller is my spikes, and I was still a few inches away from being taller than her. That doesn't seem to bode well for me.

When my frown began to show from this little information, Tifa let out a fit of laughter, but she did make sure to contain it before she gets the other waking up. I would not want another man, woman, or Yuffie realize I was still shorter than Tifa.

"You still haven't changes" she smiled, finally calming her nerves "I still like it though, gives me the authority"

"Authority?" I asked, that didn't really sound good, and it actually wasn't. With a playful smile, Tifa began ruffling my spikes as if I'm some kind of Dog.

I looked at her bewildered which only led her to another fit of laughter.

Retreating to her sleeping bag, Tifa smiles one more time at me before dozing off herself. For some reason, I find myself smiling. Touching my now messed up spikes; I felt a sense of nostalgia, and a good one at that. The only thing that had ruined this small happiness would be a Yuffie waking up, sneaking beside me with a mixture of disgust and confusion plastered to her face as she asked.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

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If anyone ever ask why I'm doing this instead of updating...well, I've been itching (not literally) to get this out! i found it adorable when it knocked on my imagination door, so here you go! One more to go!


	3. Chapter 3

As dramatic it may sound, we won. We've defeated the evil Sephiroth, put an end to Shinra's misdeeds and saved the world. Though, we did acquire our own defeats. We lost comrades along the way, got blamed for the deaths of a thousand. But we still continue living, and now we're called heroes.

A lot of trials have passed my way and I ended up hurting even the people I loved. But with all the little 'dilly dallies' I manage to return to my friends and 'family'.

I made three footsteps inside the Seventh Heaven Bar before Tifa looks my way. She was picking up glasses scattered by our ever hyped up friends.

The bar was closed for the day because it was my birthday. Tifa made a lot of food, enough for a battalion while our closest friends joins the party and finishes everything in less than an hour. They partied hard up to the point of opening Tifa's private reserve of alcohol. And now, they all lay wasted on the bar floor. The only sober ones are the host and the Birthday boy; and the kids of course. I just tucked them in to their own rooms.

Placing all the glasses on the bar counter Tifa smiles at me and waited for me to get to her. A few careful steps from Vincent's sleeping form, a small hop from Barrett's Torso, and a leap from Cid's head, I manage to reach Tifa.

"Happy Birthday" she mutters, and at that point I noticed she was looking up. Tifa never looked up when she was talking to me before, nor have I been just ignorant? I was looking down at her too, not something I noticed before.

My silence troubled her, and she gave me a worried look. I assured her with a smile. But my smile soon ended up being a smirk as I tried to contain my excitement. After more than two decades of living on Gaia, I finally did it.

"Cloud?" she asked confused.

"I got taller" Tifa then looks at me with wide eyes. At first she was puzzled, until she began to notice how we were talking and gave a small laugh. With glistening eyes, she looks up at me.

"I guess you have, took you long enough" she smirked. I gave out a rare chuckle which only made Tifa brighten.

"Does that mean I have the upper hand now?" I asked her. I began remembering her little antics when she noticed my height. Should I ruffle her hair now? I don't think she'd appreciate her hair getting messed up. A lesson learned from Yuffie. Should I kiss her forehead? She doesn't even know I've kept my feelings till now. Won't that be…what did the kids call it….Awkward?

She laughs and shook her head.

"I don't think so, I still have the upper hand" she grinned. I looked at her with the face of a child in question.

"Since you're FINALLY taller than me, I can do something I've been meaning to do"

"What?" I asked, not entirely sure I'd find it to my liking. I was wrong.

Without further ado, Tifa pulls on the front of my shirt, pulling me down and meeting my lips with hers.

It was sweet and chaste. Something I've only been dreaming to experience for more than a couple of times. If I had known I'd get this, I would've drunk more milk right from the beginning.

What we never seem to have noticed though, being in our own little world that is were a wasted Yuffie and Cid half awake looking up at us.

"Am I seeing spikes kissing Tifa?" Yuffie muttered.

"You're just dreaming…damn thing would never happen in a million years!" Cid slurred.

The two was once again out cold.

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Done! What do you think? Please Review!


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